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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261016T080000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261018T170000
DTSTAMP:20260525T042838
CREATED:20260112T161744Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260310T130635Z
UID:10000400-1792137600-1792342800@ncge.org
SUMMARY:NCGE 2026 Annual Conference
DESCRIPTION:Geography on the Fall Line\n\n\n\n\nForm a spatial cluster with educators\, researchers\, and leaders in the discipline to network\, learn about new trends in educational practice and research\, and explore a place and region with historical roots and a dynamic modern environment. \nLearn More!
URL:https://ncge.org/event/ncge-2026-annual-conference/
LOCATION:Virginia Museum of History & Culture\, 428 North Arthur Ashe Boulevard\, Richmond\, Virginia\, 23220
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ncge.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Conference_Date_2026-1.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261016T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261016T133000
DTSTAMP:20260525T042838
CREATED:20260524T160709Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260524T160709Z
UID:10000423-1792155600-1792157400@ncge.org
SUMMARY:Kickin' it Old School with Hands-on Learning tools
DESCRIPTION:Summary\nThis strategy is especially powerful in Human and Cultural Geography because it mirrors the way geographers analyze patterns\, relationships\, and spatial organization. In human geography\, students are constantly asked to categorize economic activities\, compare demographic trends\, evaluate political boundaries\, and interpret cultural diffusion. “Sorts” make these abstract processes tangible. \nWhen students physically group migration examples into push and pull factors\, classify agricultural systems by level of development\, or organize countries by demographic stage\, they are practicing core geographic thinking skills: pattern recognition\, scale analysis\, regional comparison\, and cause-and-effect reasoning. The discussion that emerges requires them to defend claims using evidence and precise vocabulary — reinforcing disciplinary literacy. \nThis strategy is especially powerful in Human and Cultural Geography because it mirrors the way geographers analyze patterns\, relationships\, and spatial organization. In human geography\, students are constantly asked to categorize economic activities\, compare demographic trends\, evaluate political boundaries\, and interpret cultural diffusion. “Sorts” make these abstract processes tangible. \nBy turning spatial analysis into a collaborative\, tactile experience\, “sorts” help students actively construct geographic understanding rather than passively receive it\, strengthening both conceptual mastery and critical thinking. \nSession Focus\nSecondary/High School | Human and Cultural Geography | Assessment \nConference Room\nHalsey Family Hall \nMeet the Presenters\nJim Dzialo\, Kolleen Madeck and Greg Sherwin have a combined 60 years of classroom experience across a multitude of disciplines\, including Human Geography\, Government\, Economics\, and Sociology. Beyond our own classrooms\, we have a long-standing commitment to the profession\, having designed and led professional development workshops focused on student-centered learning. Currently\, we are dedicated to evolving our curriculum through the lens of Project-Based Learning (PBL) and inquiry\, ensuring our students aren’t just learners\, but active investigators of the world around them. \n 
URL:https://ncge.org/event/kickin-it-old-school-with-hands-on-learning-tools/
LOCATION:Conference Room: Halsey Family Hall
CATEGORIES:Conference Sessions
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ncge.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/2026_NCGE_Conference_Logo.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261016T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261016T134500
DTSTAMP:20260525T042838
CREATED:20260524T154103Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260524T154405Z
UID:10000422-1792155600-1792158300@ncge.org
SUMMARY:Death Valley Daze
DESCRIPTION:Summary\nDeath Valley National Park\, CA may be the most diverse geographically in the country. Death Valley is the hottest place on earth\, the driest and lowest place in North America and the largest NP outside of Alaska. From -282 Badwater\, the lowest place in the Western Hemisphere\, one can see the often snow-capped 11\,049′ Telescope Peak within the park. DVNP contains dunes\, rocks\, alluvial fans\, hills\, mesas\, buttes\, creosote\, Joshua trees\, fish\, birds\, reptiles\, amphibians\, minerals\, salt pans\, a ‘racetrack’\, a ‘golf course’\, a ‘castle’ and yes\, water to name a few. Using multimedia\, a variety of handouts and desert snacks\, a retired soldier who was stationed at Fort Irwin adjacent to the park will bring this park to life. If you love Geography\, DVNP should be on your to-do list. \n*Spread the love of Geography to my fellow educators by sharing my passion for one of the most geographically diverse parks around.\n*Any teacher can incorporate the geographic themes in a variety of lessons featuring this and other parks. \nSession Focus\nAll Grade Levels| Physical & Environmental Geography | U.S. Focused \nConference Room\nCullen \nMeet the Presenters\nBrent Bagley\, a longtime geography educator\, NCGE Lifetime Member\, and retired U.S. Army veteran whose career reflects a deep commitment to both service and education. Brent served in the U.S. Army from 1983–2013 as a logistician supporting military operations and relief efforts\, including Operation Desert Storm\, post-9/11 deployments\, and Hurricane Katrina response efforts. \nWhile serving in the Army Reserves\, Brent taught AP and regular Geography courses at Murray County High School in Chatsworth\, Georgia\, from 1993–2008. During his teaching career\, he became actively involved with the National Council for Geographic Education\, presenting at local\, state\, and national conferences\, including NCGE conferences in Boston and Oklahoma City. He also completed AP Human Geography training at Texas A&M under Drs. Bob and Sarah Bednarz and participated in AP Human Geography Exam scoring sessions in Cincinnati\, Ohio. \nToday\, Brent continues his dedication to community service through his church\, the Lions Club\, and the American Legion\, where he serves as historian for Post 29 in Marietta\, Georgia.
URL:https://ncge.org/event/death-valley-daze/
LOCATION:Conference Room: Cullen
CATEGORIES:Conference Sessions
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ncge.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/2026_NCGE_Conference_Logo.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261016T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261016T150000
DTSTAMP:20260525T042838
CREATED:20260524T150007Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260524T150241Z
UID:10000418-1792155600-1792162800@ncge.org
SUMMARY:250 Years of American Growth: Hands-on Explorations of U.S. Human Geography and History
DESCRIPTION:Summary\nU.S. history meets Human and Environmental Geography in this hands-on workshop that examines 250 years of America demography\, land and natural resource use\, and ecological milestones. After a brief introduction to the trends we’ll explore\, participants will spend most of the workshop engaging in collaborative classroom activities. One activity is a full-group role-play that’s a vehicle for comparing different demographic and development data points across the decades. In another activity participants construct and interpret population pyramids for different historical eras. Using historical census data\, participants will map U.S. population density and expansion across the country from eastern cities along the fall line (including Richmond) to metro areas in the West. We will also use archival census data to analyze connections between family size trends and a range of social and economic indicators. Our group will then create a timeline of environmental events that bridges physical and human geography. Lessons build skills in critical thinking\, data analysis and visualization\, using geographic tools and primary source documents. Participants will receive lesson plans and background readings in an electronic format\, matched to state standards\, the C3 Framework\, and AP Human Geography.. \nSession Focus\nSecondary/High School | America 250 Through a Geographic Lens | Curriculum and Instruction \nConference Room\nReynolds Leadership Center \nMeet the Presenters\nCarol Bliese is the Senior Director of Teacher Programs for the Population Education (PopEd) program at the non-profit organization Population Connection. The program provides teaching materials\, professional development workshops\, and ongoing support for current and future K-12 teachers that focuses on environmental topics around sustainability and societal topics around global citizenship. Carol manages the day-to-day functioning of PopEd’s workshop program\, oversees the development of curriculum\, and participates in short and long-term strategic planning. She facilitates teacher training workshops\, in-person and online\, throughout the U.S. and Canada and has led over 850 workshops in her almost 20 years with the program\, including sessions for the National Council for the Social Studies\, National Science Teaching Association\, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics\, the North American Association of Environmental Education\, and the National Council of Geographic Education. \nCara Bora is an Education Program Associate with the Population Education (PopEd) program at the non-profit organization Population Connection. The program provides teaching materials\, professional development workshops\, and ongoing support for current and future K-12 teachers that focuses on environmental topics around sustainability and societal topics around global citizenship. She coordinates the Population Education workshops\, staff trips\, and program outreach in the northeastern part of the U.S. She also conducts workshops online and in-person across the country. Prior to joining PopEd\, Cara served as a Science Specialist for elementary grades and taught Science classes to middle schoolers.
URL:https://ncge.org/event/250-years-of-american-growth-hands-on-explorations-of-u-s-human-geography-and-history/
LOCATION:Conference Room: Reynolds Leadership Circle
CATEGORIES:Conference Sessions
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ncge.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/2026_NCGE_Conference_Logo.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261016T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261016T150000
DTSTAMP:20260525T042838
CREATED:20260524T150916Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260524T150916Z
UID:10000419-1792155600-1792162800@ncge.org
SUMMARY:Infusing Geography into Genealogy: Creating a Family Geography
DESCRIPTION:Summary\nThis workshop is designed to bring a lesson to a larger\, teaching professional\, audience. The Family Geography Project transforms the well-worn family tree into a more critical and more research aligned document that has served to enhance student understanding of the complex socioeconomic situations that create a each family’s geography. The essence of the project underscores the NCGE Strand “Geography for Life” and parallels the “America250 through a Geographic Lens” strand. The end result is a living document that can be added to as students continue their lifelong geographical journey. \nSession Focus\nAll Grade Levels| Geography for Life | Curriculum and Instruction \nConference Room\nByrd \nMeet the Presenters\nJohnathan Walker is an Assistant Professor of Geography at James Madison University in the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies. He holds degrees in Geography from the University of California-Berkely (A.B.)\, Syracuse University (M.A.) and University of Georgia (Ph.D.). He primality teaches World Regional Geography in support of the General Education curriculum. He is the JMU 2026 recipient of the Provost’s Award for Excellence in General Education Teaching. \n 
URL:https://ncge.org/event/infusing-geography-into-genealogy-creating-a-family-geography/
LOCATION:Conference Room: Byrd
CATEGORIES:Conference Sessions
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ncge.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/2026_NCGE_Conference_Logo.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261016T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261016T150000
DTSTAMP:20260525T042838
CREATED:20260524T152447Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260524T152447Z
UID:10000421-1792155600-1792162800@ncge.org
SUMMARY:Mental Maps & The Holocaust: Teaching Facts and Perspective Using Geo-Literacy Skills
DESCRIPTION:Summary\nExamining the Holocaust spatially positions students to think about genocide in new ways. In documenting the Holocaust following World War II\, war crimes investigators from the state and the Jewish community asked eyewitnesses to create mental maps of Treblinka. For human geographers\, mental mapping represents an opportunity to understand how people perceive a particular place\, capturing objective knowledge and subjective perceptions and impressions of a place (National Geographic Society\, 2024). In this session\, participants will grapple with the question: How do we teach the Holocaust with accuracy while also teaching the subjectivity of mental maps? Using war crime investigation maps of Treblinka\, we developed a lesson that requires students to (1) examine the topography surrounding Treblinka\, (2) compare maps for content and visualization\, (3) analyze how the depiction of Treblinka in Holocaust survivor memoirs compare to the maps\, (4) assess how the perspective of the witness influenced the mental map\, and (5) discuss the validity of the maps for use in postwar war crimes trials. Through this lesson\, students understand how maps can be representations of both data and perceptions and the role spatial thinking can play in documenting atrocities and holding perpetrators accountable. \nSession Focus\nAll Grade Levels| Human and Cultural Geography | World History \nConference Room\nLacy \nMeet the Presenters\nJeff Eargle is a clinical associate professor at the University of South Carolina where he serves as the Secondary Social Studies Program Coordinator in the College of Education. He is the coeditor of the forthcoming two-volume book Teaching Holocaust Geographies in Middle and High School from Palgrave Macmillan \n  \nChad Gibbs is an Assistant Professor and the Director of the Zucker/Goldberg Center for Holocaust Studies at the College of Charleston. His book\, Survival at Treblinka: Geography\, Gender\, and Social Networks in Jewish Resistance\, was recently published by the University of Wisconsin Press. \n  \nBethany M. Sanders is a doctoral student in the College of Education at the University of South Carolina and a high school social studies teacher in the South Carolina public school system. She received NCGE’s K–12 Distinguished Teaching Award in 2024\, and her doctoral studies focus on teaching geo-literacy in the secondary classroom. \n 
URL:https://ncge.org/event/mental-maps-the-holocaust-teaching-facts-and-perspective-using-geo-literacy-skills/
LOCATION:Conference Room: Lacy
CATEGORIES:Conference Sessions
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ncge.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/2026_NCGE_Conference_Logo.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261016T134500
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261016T141500
DTSTAMP:20260525T042838
CREATED:20260524T161736Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260524T163018Z
UID:10000424-1792158300-1792160100@ncge.org
SUMMARY:Count Me In! Using Labs to Teach Population Geography
DESCRIPTION:Summary\nIn this session\, we will discuss how to use laboratory assignments to teach population geography. Population geography connects diverse topics including sustainability\, economics\, politics\, and culture. Using labs to teach this topic allows students to use real world data to deepen their understanding of population geography concepts. In this session\, we will begin with an overview of teaching population geography\, connecting it to geography and social studies standards. In the second part\, examples of labs will be introduced\, including the topics of international censuses\, population policy campaigns\, age specific fertility rates\, and migration patterns. While the session is geared toward the college classroom\, the content is easily adaptable to middle and high school grades. Lab assignments will be shared with attendees. \nSession Focus\nHigher Education | Human and Cultural Geography | Curriculum and Instruction \nConference Room\nHalsey Family Hall \nMeet the Presenters\nGillian Acheson is a professor in the Department of Geography & GIS at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. She teaches a variety of courses including World Regions\, Human Geography\, Population Geography\, Spatial Thinking & Behavior\, Geography of Food\, and Geography and Social Justice. Her research interests are in geography education and the cultural landscape with publications ranging from map reading and comprehension to representation of women in introductory geography textbooks to the cultural landscape of cemeteries.
URL:https://ncge.org/event/count-me-in-using-labs-to-teach-population-geography-2/
LOCATION:Conference Room: Halsey Family Hall
CATEGORIES:Conference Sessions
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ncge.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/2026_NCGE_Conference_Logo.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261016T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261016T143000
DTSTAMP:20260525T042838
CREATED:20260524T162511Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260524T162744Z
UID:10000425-1792159200-1792161000@ncge.org
SUMMARY:From Trends to Teaching: Navigating Tensions and Charting a Future for Geography Education Research
DESCRIPTION:Summary\nAs instructional time for social studies continues to shrink in many K–12 settings\, geography educators face increasing pressure to demonstrate the relevance\, rigor\, and interdisciplinary potential of the discipline. This session invites participants into a discussion of current trends in geography education\, including effective teaching\, data-visualization\, geospatial technologies\, and STEM aligned inquiry that positions geography as essential to real world problem solving. Broader implications in the field of education and impacts of state policy changes are explored. Participants will consider actionable approaches for integrating geography into interdisciplinary instruction\, expanding its presence in the elementary and secondary curriculum\, and advocating for its continued visibility in the broader social studies landscape. \nSession Focus\nAll Grade Levels | Geography for Life | Curriculum and Instruction \nConference Room\nCullen \nMeet the Presenters\nDr. Mary D. Curtis is an Assistant Professor at the University of Houston-Clear Lake in the College of Education where she coordinates the Social Studies teacher preparation program. Dr. Curtis is a geography educator with over 20 years of experience and service from local to international levels. She currently serves as the Vice Chair for the Association of American Geographers Geography Education Specialty Group and as Associate Editor for the Journal of Geography. \n 
URL:https://ncge.org/event/from-trends-to-teaching-navigating-tensions-and-charting-a-future-for-geography-education-research/
LOCATION:Conference Room: Cullen
CATEGORIES:Conference Sessions
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ncge.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/2026_NCGE_Conference_Logo.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261016T143000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261016T150000
DTSTAMP:20260525T042838
CREATED:20260524T163419Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260524T163419Z
UID:10000426-1792161000-1792162800@ncge.org
SUMMARY:International Efforts to Improve Geography Teaching and Learning
DESCRIPTION:Summary\nThis presentation focuses on an upcoming book – International Perspectives on Geography Education (Edward Elgar\, 2026) – that highlights the actions taken by geography educators who work to improve the teaching and learning of geographic content. Much that is published in geography education today is pessimistic and bemoans the status of the discipline compared to other academic areas\, the difficulty in training quality geography teachers\, and the poor performance of students with the subject’s content and skills (such as map reading\, analysis\, and construction). While these challenges are certainly present\, this book seeks to highlight the successes seen in three main areas: student learning\, teacher preparation\, and teacher professional development. The book is\, therefore\, one that is positive\, optimistic\, and showcases for the reader actions that are worth emulating in other places. The presenter will share the successes of authors representing Australia\, Belize\, Brazil\, Chile\, Czechia\, Germany\, South Africa\, Singapore\, and the United States \nSession Focus\nHigher Education | Geography for Life | World/International  \nConference Room\nHalsey Family Hall \nMeet the Presenters\nJerry Mitchell is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Geography at the University of South Carolina. He is a past president of the NCGE and a Fellow of the American Association of Geographers.
URL:https://ncge.org/event/international-efforts-to-improve-geography-teaching-and-learning/
LOCATION:Conference Room: Halsey Family Hall
CATEGORIES:Conference Sessions
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ncge.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/2026_NCGE_Conference_Logo.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261016T151500
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261016T154500
DTSTAMP:20260525T042838
CREATED:20260524T164254Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260524T164254Z
UID:10000427-1792163700-1792165500@ncge.org
SUMMARY:The Geospatial Semester at 22: Tales from the Field
DESCRIPTION:Summary\nThe Geospatial Semester is a unique and innovative project that connects high school students and geospatial technologies to bolster their spatial problem solving and open them up to the myriad careers across the many industries that use these technologies. Students earn dual enrollment credit from JMU and are required to do an extensive project of their own choosing. Since its inception in 2005\, more than 10\,000 students have participated. We have done a wide array of research to identify the key cognitive and behavioral gains afforded to participating students. In this short presentation\, we’ll give a brief introduction to the Geospatial Semester\, share examples of student work and discuss the key research findings. Most importantly\, you’ll find out how you can bring this successful project to your school \nSession Focus\nSecondary/High School | Geospatial Technology | STEM \nConference Room\nReynolds Leadership Center \nMeet the Presenters\nBob Kolvoord is a professor at James Madison University (JMU)\, where he also serves as Interim Provost. Bob is the co-creator (with Kathryn Keranen) of the Geospatial Semester\, the award-winning dual enrollment program at JMU that brings GIS instruction and projects to students in Virginia. Bob is also the co-author of the Making Spatial Decisions series from ESRI Press. He is interested in how GIS use impacts students’ spatial thinking and problem solving abilities and has collaborated with colleagues at Northwestern\, Georgetown\, Dartmouth\, American and Gallaudet to study this question.
URL:https://ncge.org/event/the-geospatial-semester-at-22-tales-from-the-field/
LOCATION:Conference Room: Reynolds Leadership Circle
CATEGORIES:Conference Sessions
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ncge.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/2026_NCGE_Conference_Logo.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261016T151500
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261016T154500
DTSTAMP:20260525T042838
CREATED:20260524T171929Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260524T171929Z
UID:10000430-1792163700-1792165500@ncge.org
SUMMARY:Stories of the Chesapeake
DESCRIPTION:Summary\nStories of the Chesapeake offers a compelling glimpse into the cultures\, communities\, and environmental challenges of America’s estuary\, the Chesapeake Bay. As one of the nation’s most important natural laboratories for geographic inquiry\, the region provides a powerful example of how physical landscapes and human systems interact across space and time. Stretching across six states and the District of Columbia\, the Bay’s vast watershed is shaped by rivers that meander toward the Atlantic\, carrying sediment\, nutrients\, and pollution. These waterways reveal critical connections among land use\, urban planning\, agriculture\, food systems\, water quality\, and climate change. \nThe Chesapeake Bay is also deeply connected to life along the Fall Line—the natural boundary where the Piedmont meets the Coastal Plain—where cities emerged and commerce flourished. From Old Point Comfort to pivotal moments such as the War of 1812\, the presentation highlights the Bay’s layered geography and enduring significance. Together\, these stories illuminate a dynamic system that continues to shape the environmental\, economic\, and cultural identity of the region. \nSession Focus\nAll Grade Levels | America250 through a Geographic Lens\, Physical & Environmental Geography\, Human and Cultural Geography | World/International \nConference Room\nCullen \nMeet the Presenters\nMichael Allen\, Ph.D.\, is an Associate Professor of Geography at Towson University\, 2023 U.S. Fulbright Scholar to Serbia\, and President-Elect of the International Society of Biometeorology. Prior\, he served as co-coordinator of the Virginia Geographic Alliance and Geography Program Director at Old Dominion University. Since 2019\, Michael has coordinated the Chesapeake Bay Climate Institute\, a hands-on professional development experience highlighting America’s Estuary\, drawing linkages between APHG and other disciplines to the issue of climate change and resilience.
URL:https://ncge.org/event/stories-of-the-chesapeake/
LOCATION:Conference Room: Cullen
CATEGORIES:Conference Sessions
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ncge.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/2026_NCGE_Conference_Logo.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261016T151500
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261016T160000
DTSTAMP:20260525T042838
CREATED:20260524T165113Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260524T165113Z
UID:10000428-1792163700-1792166400@ncge.org
SUMMARY:Demarcation Demographics in East Asia
DESCRIPTION:Summary\nIn the late 20th and early 21st centuries\, a “fall line” was created on the coastal plain of China when Special Economic Zones were created by government fiat. This presentation will examine the demographic and lifestyle changes that ensued. It will also look at similar changes that occurred during the same time period in Japan. Teaching suggestions and resources will be introduced including award-winning young adult and children’s literature about East Asia focused on this topic. \nSession Focus\nSecondary/High School | Human and Cultural Geography | World/International \nConference Room\nByrd \nMeet the Presenters\nNancy Hope is Executive Director of the Freeman Book Awards. Formerly\, she was Associate Director of the Kansas Consortium for Teaching about Asia\, a line-officer in the U.S. Navy\, a textile designer and dyer of kimono in Japan where she lived for more than eight years\, and an educational media specialist at the Children’s Museum in Boston.
URL:https://ncge.org/event/demarcation-demographics-in-east-asia/
LOCATION:Conference Room: Byrd
CATEGORIES:Conference Sessions
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261016T151500
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261016T160000
DTSTAMP:20260525T042838
CREATED:20260524T170402Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260524T170402Z
UID:10000429-1792163700-1792166400@ncge.org
SUMMARY:Art\, Dance\, Theatre\, Oh My! Using Arts-Methodologies in the Geography Classroom
DESCRIPTION:Summary\nCome explore how art\, dance\, theatre\, and other creative methodologies can deepen student understanding of geography! In this session\, participants will engage in hands-on activities that bring historical narratives\, social movements\, and global issues to life through tableau theatre\, protest art\, and cartographic storytelling. Attendees will walk away with ready-to-use lesson ideas\, creative assessment strategies\, and a renewed vision for incorporating art into their classroom \nSession Focus\nAll Grade Levels | Human and Cultural Geography | Curriculum and Instruction \nConference Room\nLacy \nMeet the Presenters\nBethany M. Sanders is a doctoral student in the College of Education at the University of South Carolina and a high school social studies teacher in the South Carolina public school system. She received NCGE’s K–12 Distinguished Teaching Award in 2024\, and her doctoral studies focus on teaching geo-literacy in the secondary classroom. \n  \nJessica Flach
URL:https://ncge.org/event/art-dance-theatre-oh-my-using-arts-methodologies-in-the-geography-classroom-2/
LOCATION:Conference Room: Lacy
CATEGORIES:Conference Sessions
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ncge.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/2026_NCGE_Conference_Logo.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261016T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261016T163000
DTSTAMP:20260525T042838
CREATED:20260524T173358Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260524T173407Z
UID:10000431-1792166400-1792168200@ncge.org
SUMMARY:Myth\, Trolls\, and Tectonics: Using Storytelling to Teach Physical Geography
DESCRIPTION:Summary\nIceland’s dramatic landscapes are deeply intertwined with a rich tradition of storytelling\, where myths and folklore once served to explain the “unexplainable” in the physical world. This presentation demonstrates how geography educators can leverage such narratives to help K–12 students make sense of core physical geography processes\, from coastal erosion to volcanism and river flooding. Grounded in a constructivist and inquiry-based approach\, the lesson framework invites students to interpret stories\, question “why\,” and then connect folkloric explanations with scientific concepts. \nParticipants will experience a short-version lesson in which students are given a myth and asked to identify the underlying physical process and explain it scientifically. A longer version extends this work over one or more weeks by having students locate a myth from any culture\, analyze the physical geography embedded in the story\, and draw parallels between cultural and scientific explanations. Additional examples from other cultures illustrate how this approach can be adapted across regions and grade levels. Attendees will leave with ready-to-use lesson structures\, ideas for sourcing culturally diverse myths\, and strategies for fostering reflective\, interrogative classroom discussions that deepen students’ understanding of Earth’s dynamic systems while honoring multiple ways of knowing \nSession Focus\nAll Grade Levels | Physical & Environmental Geography | Inquiry \nConference Room\nReynolds Leadership Circle \nMeet the Presenters\nMayra Román-Rivera \n 
URL:https://ncge.org/event/myth-trolls-and-tectonics-using-storytelling-to-teach-physical-geography/
LOCATION:Conference Room: Reynolds Leadership Circle
CATEGORIES:Conference Sessions
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261016T161500
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261016T164500
DTSTAMP:20260525T042838
CREATED:20260524T173926Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260524T173926Z
UID:10000432-1792167300-1792169100@ncge.org
SUMMARY:How Students Can Apply “The Ten Steps of Walkability” to Evaluate Any Downtown
DESCRIPTION:Summary\nIn his book\, Walkable City: How Downtown Can Save America\, One Step at a Time (2012)\, Jeff Speck offers ten planning steps for creating American downtowns that are useful\, safe\, comfortable\, and interesting. While the ten steps emphasize walkability\, they include improvements to land use\, public transit\, bicycle use\, and traffic flow. In this presentation\, I demonstrate how to use Speck’s “Ten Steps” to design a downtown field exercise for university geography students. After reading and discussing the ten steps\, my students participated in a guided walk of downtown Edwardsville\, Illinois\, to collect notes and photos of their observations. They were instructed to answer two questions as they wrote up their results: (1) What does the city do well to promote walkability? and (2) How could walkability in downtown be improved? The assignment concluded with a short paper and an in-class discussion of their results. The surprising outcome of this discussion was students’ desire to learn more about the planning decisions behind what they saw in the field. Applying Speck’s “Ten Steps” gives students the structure to make sense of their field observations and draw meaningful conclusions. \nSession Focus\nHigher Education | Human and Cultural Geography | Curriculum and Instruction \nConference Room\nByrd \nMeet the Presenters\nDr. Susan Hume is a professor in the Department of Geography & GIS at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. She believes in the power of field study in geographic education and has made field-based assignments an integral part of her urban geography and sustainable transportation courses. Susan is a lifetime member and past president of NCGE. \n 
URL:https://ncge.org/event/how-students-can-apply-the-ten-steps-of-walkability-to-evaluate-any-downtown/
LOCATION:Conference Room: Byrd
CATEGORIES:Conference Sessions
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ncge.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/2026_NCGE_Conference_Logo.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261016T161500
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261016T164500
DTSTAMP:20260525T042838
CREATED:20260524T174442Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260524T174442Z
UID:10000433-1792167300-1792169100@ncge.org
SUMMARY:Resources for Teaching Political Geography
DESCRIPTION:Summary\nTeaching political geography can be an especially complicated task as foreign relations issues are now flash points for cultural and academic debate. This session is designed to connect educators with high-quality non-partisan materials to help teach foreign relations\, and how to connect to the content and practices of political geography. Using practice-based methodologies to engage students in “doing” geography\, one of the goals of this session is to give teachers ideas on how to get students working with geographic data to involve students in learning concepts while examining real-world situations. \nSession Focus\nSecondary/High School | Human and Cultural Geography & Geography for Life | Government and Civics \nConference Room\nLacy \nMeet the Presenters\nDr. Kyle Tredinnick \n 
URL:https://ncge.org/event/resources-for-teaching-political-geography/
LOCATION:Conference Room: Lacy
CATEGORIES:Conference Sessions
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ncge.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/2026_NCGE_Conference_Logo.png
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR